OOC Note: A little less then a week ago, on the news board, Sebastian Duke posted that he'd been "poisoned" by holy water. While I posted it more for fun, I've decided to follow up on it in character in a more serious manner.


***The Followers are gathered in the chapel. None of them, perhaps other than Jacob, knows why they are there. The afternoon sermon isn't for another two hours and they know of no other dire matters on the agenda. The Followers gather in the pews and begin conversing in hushed whispers. Many wondering what the emergency meeting is all about.


***Suddenly the large, heavy, wooden double doors at the entrance to the chapel swing open. The High Priest Asmodeus enters walking rather briskly towards the altar. The Followers fall silent. Asmodeus reaches the altar and stands at the podium.


ASMODEUS: "Gentlemen. We have gathered you here today to have a little discussion. By discussion, I mean, we talk. You shut up and listen. As you may or may not know, under a week ago, your Leader, Sebastian Duke fell deathly ill. An illness that if prolonged could have taken his very life. Sebastian complained about the taste of the water. He knew something was not right with it. After he fell ill, we had his water tested. It has been confirmed that somebody... most likely in this room... switched Sebastians water with....."


***Asmodeus appears choked up a little.


ASMODEUS: "With..... Holy Water!"


***A huge collective gasp is exuded from The Followers. More hushed whispers.


ASMODEUS: "SILENCE! ALL OF YOU!"


***The whispers quickly die off.


ASMODEUS: "This is NOT the time for conversation, gentlemen. Let me assure you all, that anyone with information MUST come forward. If you withhold information from myself or from the Leader you will be punished just as severe as the perpetrator himself.

"Now, with that said. I will give that perpetrator the opportunity to come forward. Before that happens though, I must warn you..... You will be punished severely. If you do not come forward by yourself and we have to seek you out, and I assure you, we will, then your punishment will be much, much more severe. Now, would anyone like to come forward with an admission of guilt or with information?"


***Just as Asmodeus finishes his question, the large doors at the entrance swing wide open again. The Followers all turn there heads toward the door. This time, Sebastian Duke makes his entrance to the chapel. The Followers stare at their leader. Many with fear, most with respect. Sebastian Duke walks the aisle between the pews slowly. He looks at the expressions on each and every face of all 267 men. He gets about two-thirds of the way up the aisle when he stops.


***He stares at one person in particular. The color drains from the mans face and beads of sweat begin forming on his face. Duke nods at the young man and proceeds up the aisle, still slowly, still looking at each and every individual face. The young man scared to death now has numerous other faces staring at him. Duke reaches te altar. Asmodeus concedes the podium to Sebastian Duke and takes a seat.


SEBASTIAN DUKE: "I'm not sure what Father Asmodeus has told you, but allow me to tell you all something you probably don't know about me. You see, gentlemen, I have a sixth sense, so-to-speak. I can look at a man, and I know what he's thinking. I can look at a man, and I know no what he fears, but why he fears....."


***Duke steps away from the podium and back into the aisle. He walks slowly and continus to speak.


SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Take what I did when I walked in here for example. My eyes met the eyes of Steven. He showed fear. I like fear. Does Steven fear me? Probbably but that's only assumed. Most importantly... WHY does he show that fear? Because I stared into his eyes and he feared that I thought he was the perpetrator....."


***Duke stops at the row of pews that Steven sits in. He stares at Steven again.


SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Steven..... to the altar....."


***Steven stands up. He starts toward the aisle where Sebastian Duke stands then changes his mind. He'd rather use the end aisle to avoid any confrontation with the Leader. Steven finally makes his way to the end and turns toward the altar. He proceeds slowly. In the center aisle, Sebastian Duke stares him down and matches him step for step, also headed for the altar. They meet directly in front of Asmodeus. Steven refuses to look up.


SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Steven.... Are you guilty?"


***Duke is calm as he asks in order to lure the potential confession out. Steven stands there, looking at his feet, like a child caught in a lie.


ASMODEUS: "Steven, your Leader has asked you a direct question. I expect you will deliver him a direct answer."


***Steven looks at Asmodeus as he speaks, then looks directly into the eyes of Sebastian Duke. He finally responds:


STEVEN: "Yes. I did it."


***No sooner does he get the words out of his mouth and Jacob, the fearless young warrior who has previously garnered the respect of both Sebastian and Asmodeus, leaps out of the pew and tackles Steven. Jacob throws fist after fist into the face of Steven. Duke waits a moment then lays a hand on the shoulder of Jacob. Jacob stops his beating and turns to look at his Leader.


SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Jacob. That's not neccesary right now. Get off of him......... help him to his feet."


***Jacob reluctantly gets off of Steven then lifts the poor soul off the floor to a standing position.


SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Steven..... tell us all why."


STEVEN: "No. Do your worst to me, Sebastian Duke. Have Jacob pummel me some more. Throw me in the hole for the rest of my life. Toss me into the torture chamber. Whatever it is you like. I will not give up my reasons."


SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Very well. As you wish. Jacob, you stay behind, the rest of you are dismissed. Get back here in one hour. Do NOT be late. Tonight, there will be a lesson learned and an example made."


***The men file out as the scene fades out..... The scene fades in again an hour later as the men file back into the chapel. Sebastian Duke sits on a throne fit for a king. Asmodeus sits near him on his own throne, similar, but smaller. Jacob stands at the podium. The men take there seats in the pews and sit quietly and still.


JACOB: "Gentleman. It has become apparent that a lesson must be learned and an example must be made. To commit such an act with contempt the way Steven has..... is deplorable.

"Luke, Jonathan, step into the hallway and bring him in here."


***Two men sitting at the end of the front pew stand and make there way past te altar into the hallway. They re-emerge moments later with Steven bound up with thick rope. They stand behind him propping him up.


JACOB: "Steven, respond to the exit survey with short one or two word answers only. When you took your vows to the Order did you or did you not swear to never disobey the Leader?"

STEVEN: "I did."

JACOB: "You took a blood oath to serve your Leader with dignity and respect, did you not?"

STEVEN: "I did."

JACOB: "You swore to give your life for the Leader if neccesary did you not?"

STEVEN: "I did."

JACOB: "You violated these oaths did you not?"

STEVEN: "I did."

JACOB: "Who is your Leader?"

STEVEN: "Sebastian Duke."

JACOB: "You intended to harm or kill the Leader by poisoning. Did you not?"

STEVEN: "I did. Yes."

JACOB: "It is the decision of the Leader and his two trusted advisors that you shall indeed give your life for the Leader. For the act of treason and the sttempted murder of the Leader, Sebastian Duke. You are hearby sentenced to death by burning. Luke.... Jonathan.... Take him outside and secure him to the stake."


***The two men exit the room carrying Steven.


JACOB: "Let this be a warning to anyone who might think of perpetrating this type of act. Had Steven confessed and given up information, he would have been tortured then excommunicated. He would have lived. Had he not confessed and forced us to seek him out he would have been tortured ferociously until near death. then burned anyway. The lesson learned, gentlemen, is do NOT cross the Leader. Exit the building to the rear grounds. You must all witness the sentence being carried out."


***All of the followers file out of the chapel. Sebastian Duke, Asmodeus, and Jacob file out behind them. They make there way out to the stake where Steven is secured. He's surrounded by straw and kindling. The three senior leaders, Duke, Asmodeus, and Jacob make there way through the large circle made by the Followers. Luke and Jonathan stand by with lit torches. Luke hands his off to Duke who passes it to Jacob. Jonathan hands his off to Sebastian Duke. Duke steps forward to speak.


SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Lucifer in testum, Quod Stephanus iam puer reprobare exustis ad palum. Ego sum angelus tenebrarum. Ego sum Venerabiles Dux. Jube portas inferi esse patefacio. Ut devolvat in hora mortis magnae in aeternum te Satan." (With Lucifer as my witness, I now condemn young Stephen to be burned to death at the stake. I am the Angel of Darkness. I am the Venerable Leader. May the gates of Hell be opened. May the great Satan unleash the fires of Hell upon you for all eternity.)


***After Duke concludes his speech he looks at Jacob and nods. Both Duke and Jacob simultaneously tilt their torches to the ground igniting the hay. Not long after, the kindling ignites. Soon after that, the screams begin.




***The horrific scene fades out.